For those of you experiencing Time Travel Week withdrawal, here’s a 1971 Keith Laumer SF novel about a Time agent marooned in the Jurassic Era. Ravel has just completed a mission in 1936 Buffalo, NY when he’a approached by a Karg–a robot from the Future. Ravel returns to his Time Base in the Jurassic when it is attacked by war machines from the Future and utterly destroyed. Ravel is stuck in the Jurassic. Of course, Keith Laumer’s plots are always twisty and Dinosaur Beach is no exception. If you’re looking for a Time Travel adventure novel with dinosaurs, this delivers. John O’Neill at BLACK GATE has some insightful comments about Dinosaur Beach here. GRADE: B+
Keith also was one of my favourites when I discovered the pulps in the 60s!
But I found his Retief series even greater than the time travel stories – those diplomats reminded me so much of our bumbling politicians on the international stage!
Wolf, the Retief stories are my favorites of the Laumer oeuvre. I may have to reread some Retief for FFB.
I still remember picking this one up in the ’70s. Great stuff.
Bill, I love Keith Laumer’s adventure novels. Love the IMPERIUM series, too.
I’d be more interested in what was going on in 1936 Buffalo that drew him there!
I’ve got three of Laumer’s Baen collections – RETIEF!, THE LIGHTER SIDE and A PLAGUE OF DEMONS & Other Stories – sitting on the shelf.
Jeff, BAEN Books has done a great job in reprinting the works of Keith Laumer. The Buffalo subplot leads to the Jurassic story.
Love TIME TRAVEL but 1936 Buffalo sounds more interesting than the Jurassic era to me.
Patti, there’s a romantic element in Buffalo 1936 if that tempts you.
Can’t tell you how many years ago I read this. Let’s just say, a long time.
Randy, it was a long, long time for me too. But DINOSAUR BEACH still packs a wallop!
George, I like Keith Laumer’s writing style. I read a couple of his sf stories that were pretty good. That is a great cover.
Prashant, you can see several DINOSAUR BEACH covers if you click on the BLACK GATE link I provided.
Always one of my favorite Keith Laumer books!
Bob, back in the Sixties and Seventies Keith Laumer was one of my favorite SF writers. His Retief stories are unrivaled!
George,
Thanks for the signal boost! Great to see some love for Keith Laumer’s books, 40 years later.
For me, tracking down the old covers is as much fun as talking about the books.
John O’Neill
Black Gate
John, your posts are my favorites on BLACK GATE! Our tastes are very similar! Keith Laumer wrote great SF adventure novels like DINOSAUR BEACH that are only enhanced by the great covers ACE Books and DAW wrapped them in. Keep up the good work!
George, I have to confess that some times when looking through the shelves of the London book shop “Fantasy Centre” (closed now, alas) or browsing in one of London’s markets I would buy one of those ACE doubles just because its covers were so “garish” and funny!
Of course second hand books at that time were really cheap – almost a dime a dozen, until people realised their value. So when I came to the USA and also wanted to get “new” old books to complete my collection I really had to look around to find them cheap or at least affordable.
Wolf, those classic ACE Doubles have pretty much disappeared around here. We’re down to a couple used bookstores. All the “Good Stuff” is online at higher prices now.
Great pick! I’d hoped for on of his books last week, so I’m grateful for this. Yes, I’ve seen that cover, and read this one, and I agree about Baen doing good by keeping these in print. Too bad the Baen editions also go OP so fast!
Rick, I could have done a month of Time Travel books and movies. I love the genre and there are so many good SF novels that use Time Travel to power their plots!